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Genus Loxops
Akekee - The ʻAkekeʻe is a greenish-yellow bird with a black mask around the eye and a bluish bill, unlike the ʻĀkepa, which is usually red, canary-yellow or orange, without black, and have horn-colored bills. Their bill-tips are crossed over, though not bent as in distantly-related Fringillidae the crossbills . The ʻAkekeʻe's call is softer than its relatives.
Akepa - All 'Akepa have an unusual cross-bill. When closed, the upper bill tip overlaps either to the right or left of the lower bill tip; this small overlap cannot be seen in the field. When opening the bill, as in prying open leaf buds on native Ohia trees to extract arthropod prey, the bill swings sideways, and this is easily seen in the hand. The Akepa uses this bill in a similar fashion to the North American Crossbills . This species is usually found above 1,100 meters up to 2,200 meters above sea level. 'Akepa are often found in small groups, including displays by multiple males, and in mixed-species flocks during the non-breeding season.